- - Draft - - PSD Project Workgroup 10/7/02 Conference Call Summary

Participants

Topics

1.    Status of Action Items

Dave Klemp summarized the workgroup's efforts to-date for the benefit of new participants. Based on the meeting in Denver, WESTAR has sent a letter to EPA (Bill Harnett) suggesting that EPA, the states, tribes and federal land management agencies work together on the development of guidance for boundary redesignations and increment tracking. Click here for a copy of the letter. 

Dave's presentation to the WESTAR air directors at the fall Business Meeting in Santa Fe was well received, and resulted in an endorsement of the workgroup's recommendations to a) work on redesignation guidance with EPA, FLM's, tribes, and CenSARA states and b) sponsor a specialty conference on increment tracking.

At least one mid-west state has indicated an interest in participating in the workgroup's efforts, and CenSARA (WESTAR's counterpart in the mid-west) has indicated an interest in co-sponsoring the increment tracking conference.

2.    Proposed products, process, and timing

A.    Redesignation issue

Bill Harnett suggested that the product of this workgroup effort should be draft guidance, which EPA would ultimately publish in the federal register for review and comment. He suggested a process similar to that used for the Natural Events Policy, where states and EPA worked together first on policy principles, after which more detailed guidance was developed. He further suggested that the two issues (boundary redesignations and increment tracking) should be addressed by separate work teams.

After some discussion, the group agreed that a relatively small drafting team should be formed to draft a set of principles for review by the workgroup, followed by more detailed guidance. The drafting team will include people who have worked on, or are considering, boundary redesignations, including representatives from Nevada, Wyoming, North Dakota, Nebraska (tentative), Montana, and EPA (OAQPS and 2 or 3 regional office representatives). The drafting team will also include John Bunyak (NPS), tribal representatives (Rose Lee, Julie Simpson, and/or Bob Gruenig), and Dan Johnson. Larry Byrum from CenSARA will also be asked to participate on the drafting team. The group felt that a face-to-face meeting would be the most productive and  efficient method for working through the issues and identifying where more specific and detailed guidance is needed. The meeting would probably be in mid November. However, prior to the face-to face meeting, there will be a conference call scheduled to discuss a strawman draft that will be developed and circulated to the members of the drafting team.

B.    Increment tracking issue

Mary Uhl will work with the WESTAR Technical Committee to develop a laundry list of technical issues related to increment tracking. A number of technical issues were discussed at the Denver meeting, but the meeting summary did not capture all of them. Once the list is completed, it will be circulated to the full workgroup for discussion. There was some discussion about the policy implications of some of the technical issues, and the need for coordinating technical and policy considerations. The laundry list will be circulated to the air directors to identify staff to work on the increment tracking team. Mary re-affirmed that the Technical Committee intends to sponsor a specialty conference next spring. 

It was noted that increment tracking is a dynamic process, with changes in models, inventories, and our understanding of meteorology. As such we will not be able to make specific recommendations. The workgroup's effort needs to focus on how to address the dynamics (e.g., what actions are appropriate when emission estimates change; how are increment exceedances addressed). One suggestion was to initially focus on guidance for Class 2 areas, where existing guidance is relatively clear. Another suggestion was that we (the workgroup or EPA) should compile existing guidance, so that we can focus on issues for which there is no guidance, or where the existing guidance is unclear. Al Newman has attempted to summarize increment tracking requirements in a summary document. 

Action Items

1. Dave Klemp and Dan Johnson will develop a strawman that consists of a basic set of principles relating to redesignation of baseline areas that were identified during the Denver meeting. This proposal will be circulated to the drafting team and will be discussed during a conference call in October. A face-to-face meeting may be necessary in November.

2. Dave Klemp will circulate the strawman to the drafting group and set up a time for a conference call to discuss this. The call will be held in October when schedules are determined.

3. Mary Uhl will lead an effort to develop a strawman that consists of the basic issues relating to increment tracking. Mary may also need to solicit input from the Air Directors to determine the membership of this workgroup. The group wants to ensure they have the appropriate personnel.

4. EPA will pull together any documentation they have (policy, guidance, etc.) relating to redesignation of baseline areas and increment tracking and distribute this to the PSD Workgroup.